Kyushu Itinerary Dec-Jan 12/13

Hi there!

Here are your approximate costs:

1. Hakata > Kumamoto: ¥4790, (35mins, 118km)
2. Kumamoto > Hakata: ¥4790, (35mins, 118km)
3. Hakata > Beppu: ¥6930, (104mins, 188km)
4. Beppu > Hakata: ¥6930, (108mins, 188km)
5. Hakata > Nagasaki: ¥6930, (108mins, 188km)
6. Nagasaki > Hakata: ¥6930, (108mins, 188km)
7. Hakata > Aso(kumamoto): ¥6770, (116mins, 168km)
8. Aso(kumamoto) > Hakata: ¥6770, (128mins, 168km)

TOTAL: ¥50840 for 8 legs

For your itinerary I certainly recommend a type of pass. Based on your above travel you should certainly look at the Kyushu north pass first.

For other destinations, within Kyushu it's also well worth visiting Dazaifu and the Kagoshima/Sakurajima area. Further afield, Hiroshima is well within day trip distance, possibly Kyoto too (2.5hrs each way to Kyoto). The extent to which you do these further day trips will be the real deciding factor as to whether to go for a larger pass such as the full nationwide Japan Rail Pass, though you would save money with all types of pass based on your existing itinerary.

Within Fukuoka there are lots of hotels to choose from. I recommend looking for a hotel in a bit away from Hakata in Tenjin/Daimyo for a really great, central Fukuoka experience. I've had a lot of success at the plaza hotel tenjin, the rooms are a little small but good value! For Kurokawa the best place to start is the official website which lists all the onsen in town. Don't forget in Kurokawa you can get the Onsen pass from your hotel which will give you access to all the onsen in town, so if you book a budget onsen you can still enjoy all the baths in town. (You'll need to get the bus to Kurokawa from JR Aso station which is why I list it in your itinerary).

Hope this helps!

Actually, you can get a bus from Fukuoka to Kurokawa, which is a bit more convenient. Mt. Aso is also frequently closed near the crater and may not be worth going to. Always have a back up plan.

A Sun-Q bus pass can also help in going places you can't reach by rail.

If you'd like to see good info sightseeing Fukuoka, try:

http://www.thejapanfaq.com/fukpic.html

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7LcPcmoSg-j4RLa6iC7ayvBAbOn8-028

Nagasaki is definitely the most interesting city on Kyushu though, and worth a lot of exploration. Gunkanjima is a real surreal treat.